FEATHER AND TAR
I am not quite certain How to classify this article. It could fall under mining, Civil unrest, political or some other topic. I was not involved in the actual action and therefore I can only be the purveyor of the news. The incident took place during the period in the early 1980’s. when the AWB were busy rukking-op. The AWB had a parade and marched up and down the street where I lived. After the parade and a lapse of time the Right Wing decided action was the way to go and that was what they were going to do with the hendsoppers. As I stated earlier, I was only a watcher in the rye. No siree, I was not there and have anything to do with what happened. What did happen was much to the chagrin of the local mayor of this small town just this side of Timbuktu (Spelling according to voetspore)
In the mining village where I stayed my neighbour was a learner geologist. I was mad about geology and others think I am mad anyway. We used to natter over the fence and I requested him to borrow me some books on the subject. Seeing that he had just completed most of his study he loaned the books to me. I was in the seventh heaven.
The next week, or so, the mine where I was employed was cast into chaos and a dark cloud to boot. People were huddled in groups discussing what happened. Almost like after a rugby match and your team lost. I was told to bugger-off engelsman. This is becoming really difficult for me to continue but I as the purveyor have no choice, it being my curse in life.
Should we page through the annals of history relating to Europe and Britain during the dark ages we will see that certain methods were used to punish those that trespassed the law. It was normal to remove the head of the miscreant (like they did in France) Sometimes the criminals were pals with the law and ended up in stocks and could at least eat. The next one, ai, so difficult and the repercussions so severe. This may be my last goodbye for ever more. Lets forget that now while I struggle to come to terms with what I never done.
I had the books and they, by default, are now mine and still are after 30 years. Will take a break here to get a hefty Harrier. Ah that is better. So now we can continue but bear in mind I was not there and had no finger in any pie. As said earlier the right Wing was in a bad mood, in fact a very bad mood indeed so they sent out a platoon to arrest the mayor of the town and sort him out. They sure did do so in a real big way. They tarred and feathered him while still in his fancy mayoral clobber;. NO, NO, NO. I was not there. The All White TV told us the story, promise. The cops apprehended, lekker word hey? The culprits And the mayor laid charges against the manne. The manne had to pay for the repairs of the mayoral outfit. My neighbour, the owner of the books, spent a few hours behind bars then left the district because the mine fired him in order to heft up their reputation. You see I could not have been there because I belonged to the other side of the political spectrum
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